THE FAILURE of anti-social behaviour orders to protect the public from thugs is laid bare by statistics showing they are ignored by thousands of those given them.

Crime prevention minister Norman Baker wants an overhaul of the current ASBO system [JULIAN HERBERT/GETTY IMAGES]

Of 23,000 Asbos handed to disrespectful yobs and nuisance neighbours since 1999, a staggering 58 per cent were breached, Home Office statistics showed.

Yet only half of the louts who flouted their orders went to jail as a result, leaving the others free to continue terrorising their neighbourhoods.

Asbos have been available since 1999 and can be issued by courts to anyone aged 10 or over for anti-social behaviour such as drunkenness and causing harassment.

The orders last at least two years and, among other restrictions, can prevent subjects entering specific places and meeting known troublemakers.

In one of the most notorious cases of recent years, 64-year-old David Askew collapsed and died in his garden in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, while confronting three youths, two of whom had Asbos, who were vandalising his house.

It followed 10 years of relentless baiting from yobs as young as eight, who broke his windows and threw eggs and bricks at the home he shared with his disabled mother, despite legal orders to curb their behaviour.

58 per cent of ASBOS handed out since 1999 have been breached [MATT CARDY/GETTY IMAGES]

Some louts see Asbos as a badge of honour. They should be a badge of shame

Philip Hollobone

Tory MP Philip Hollobone said yesterday: “The Asbo system will only ever work if there are serious consequences for offenders who breach them.

“It has been said that some louts see Asbos as a badge of honour. If that is the case the system is not doing what it should be, which is protecting the public. They should be a badge of shame.”

Shadow Home Office Minister Steve Reed said: “At a time when people across the country want tougher action against anti-social behaviour the Tory-led Government is going soft on crime.

“Law-abiding people will be outraged to see the Government more concerned about not criminalising persistent offenders than about taking the tough action that can stop them in their tracks.”

Home Office figures published yesterday showed that last year courts handed out 1,329 of the orders – down from a high of more than 4,000 issued in 2005.

Norman Baker has promised to give new powers to the police and courts to deal with ASBOS better [PA WIRE/PRESS ASSOCIATION IMAGES]

Of the 23,078 Asbos issued since April 1999, 13,295 were breached at least once, with just under 10,000 of them broken more than once.

The average number of breaches was five.

Yet only 7,043 of the yobs who broke their orders were put behind bars as a result.

One in four Asbo breakers was given only a “slap on the wrist” community sentence.

The orders are set to be replaced with a wider ranging “Injunction to Prevent Nuisance and Annoyance” measure in the Government’s forthcoming Anti-social Behaviour Bill.

Last night, Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker said: “These figures are further proof of why we need to replace this broken system. Asbos simply do not work.

“Victims have told us what they want. They want anti-social behaviour to stop and for it not to happen again.

“Our new powers will give the police, councils and courts a faster and more effective way of addressing problems before they can escalate.”